Project Description

Located on a remote site in Sonoma County, this 640 square foot cabin was designed to appear as a barn when the sliding wooden doors are closed. When the doors slide open, the house opens up to both sides of the site. The one room house is divided by casework screens that shield the kitchen on one side and a bed inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s bed at Monticello on the other. The house’s exterior cladding is redwood milled from a reclaimed water tank. The roof is rusted steel. The interior walls are re-sawn Douglas fir with concrete floors and a floating sheetrock ceiling.

Designed to provide an indoor refuge on a site that celebrates outdoor living, the cabin serves as a welcoming gathering place. In addition to the cabin there is an extensive garden flanked by a bath shed and a sleeping shed. On top of the knoll, a copper tub looks out to Mount St. Helena.

Design Challenge

Because of the long access road to this remote site, the fire department only allows a 640 square foot house without improving the entire mile long road. The intent of this small house was to use the allowed 640 square feet to build a house that could gather and hold the large site and varied out buildings.